Antifriction-bearing latch-bar for locks.



J. B. WEBB. ANTIFRICTION BEARING LATCH BAR PoR LOCKS,

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1907.

Patented July 2o, 1906.

I l l will" WITNESSES:

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.IEREMIAH B. WEBB, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ANTIFRICTION-BEARING LATCH-BAR FOR LOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application led July 11, 1907. Serial No. 383,232.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH B. WEBB,- residing at St.Louis,in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antifriction-Bearing Latchars for Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in locks, and it particularly seeks to provide animproved type of latch bar having anti-friction bearings.

- In the ordinary type of latch bar for locks, the latch bar, by virtue of its elongated contact with the casing arts, often sets up considerable friction uring its movement from one position to another, thus making the movement of the bar more or less sluggish and difficult of operation. The amount of energy lost by the friction present in a lock of this t e is dependent largely upon the length of t e latch bar, the amount of movement thereof and upon the upward thrust of the latch bar as the key moves the same from its locking to its unlocking position. To obviate this objectionable feature I provide anti-friction bearings for the latch bar which are adapted to be interposed between the latch bar and that portion of the casing which receives the brunt of friction during the locking or unlocking movement of the latch bar.

Primarily my invention has for its object to provide a lock having anti-friction bearings for the latch bar of a simple and effective construction which will readily serve the intended purposes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1, is a side elevation of a pad-lock with my invention applied for use, one-half of the lock casing being removedto expose the internal parts of the lock. Fig. 2, is a cross section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a detail perspective view of the latch bar showing the ball and roller bearing retaining grooves. Fig. 4:, is a detail sectional perspective of the latch bar and casing showing the relative position of the parts. Fig. 5, is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6, is a similar view showing a slightly modified form of my invention.

Referring now to the accom anying drawings in which like letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 designates the lock casing which is preferably made in two parts and secured together by the spacing rivet members 2 and the rivet 3, which pass through the lugs 1 a of the casing. Each casing section comprises the face 1x and the flanges 1y, which flanges are cut away as at lz to permit passage of the lock yoke 4 which ispivotally secured at 4a on the rivet bolt 4b which passes through supplemental lugs 1d, of the casing. One casing face is provided with the key-hole slot le which is adapted tobe normally covered by a key-hole guard 1f, which is fulcrumed as at 1g, and is normally spring pressed to rest over and form a closure for the key-hole slot. A key guide 5 is secured to the other casing section within the same to cooperate with the key 6 in the usual manner.

The'usual tumbler 7 is provided which is pivotally fulcrumed to one of the spacing rivets, and is limited in its movement by another of the spacing rivets and spring pressed to its normal position. The latch bar 8 may also be of any approved construction and is slidably mounted within the casing as shown, being spring pressed to its locking position and having the usual key engaging heel 8b and tumbler engaging portion 8 which cooperates with the tumbler portion 7 C, by virtue of which the tumbler holds the latch bar normally in its locked position.

In orderto reduce as much as possible the frictional contact between the latch bar and the casing, I provide the latch bar 8 with anti-friction bearing receiving grooves SX-SY on its upper surfaces to receive the anti-friction bearings SZ which may be ball bearings as shown at Fig. 5, or roller bearings, as shown in Fig. 6. It will be noticed that the bearing receiving grooves 8x are of such size as to leave the anti-friction bearings projecting beyond the surfaces of the latch bolt and thus keep the same spaced from the casing flange and casing side at its area of greatest contact. When roller bearings are used the ends of the roller bearings which engage the casing face may be of semi-spherical form so as to make the smallest contact possible with the lock casing. When roller bearings are used, it should be understood the bearing grooves of the latch bar are widened to correspond therewith.

In the practical operation of my invention as the key is inserted and turned the tumbler is first lifted to release the latch bar in the usual manner, after which the latch bar is drawn to its unlocking position. As the key turns to move the latch bar, it will exert a force tending to project the latch bar against the casing flange Which in ordinary locks not embodying my anti-friction means, causes considerable friction between the latch bar and the 'casing flange and thus renders it diflicult to move the latch bar to its unlocking position, but When my anti-friction devices are used, it Will be noticed, the latch bar does not engage the casing flange but is held therefrom by the anti-friction bearings, thus reducing the frictional contact to a minimum and` rendering the latch easy to operate.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying dra-W- ings, it is thought the complete construction, .operation and numerous advantages of my invention Will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

What I claim is,-

In a lock, the combination with the key operated latch bolt and the casing for receiving the latch bolt, of anti-frictionV devices interposed between the latch bolt and the casing, said latch bolt having a pair of grooves in one surface near one edge thereof, said anti-friction devices held insaid grooves to cooperate With the latch bar and tWo surfaces of the casing, substantially as shown and described.

JEREMIAH B. WEBB'.

TWitnesses z L. L. LAWTON, W. W. WEST. 

